October 28, 2010

When I met Maryse, the first thing I noticed was her mouth. When it was at rest, it was pursed.

And when she smiled, it was tickle-me wicked. Flared nostrils added to the effect.

Her eyes were very dark and soft. She was voluptuous, like a new-romantic Mae West.

It was the early eighties. Maryse was the Queen of the scene. She was cool and wore tons of make-up and big earrings. She moved into my building, and that's how we met. She was a little older and wiser than me.

She used to say things like "Coffee. Hurry. Emergency." or "Cigarette. Hurry. Emergency." She'd laugh so hard it would make her wheeze and turn into a coughing fit. I adored her.

She would pose for pictures by deliberately not looking at the camera and she'd pout. It was one of her favourite things. One day I stopped by at her place on the way home from Art school, and there was a guy hanging out there. The guy turned out to be an animator! It totally changed the direction of my life. You get what I'm saying here?

Maryse and I became very close over a ten year period. She was my Queen Bee.

We lost touch when I got married. These things happen I guess. I didn't hear of her for almost two decades. I missed her from time to time, but I had small children and there was no Facebook back then.

And then just this spring, we found each other again. We were both pretty happy. She mentioned she was taking it easy, that she'd had something "really f*cking scary" happen to her. But she didn't want to make a big deal about it so I didn't press it. I assumed it was going to be ok.

I didn't know she was dying. That she was being brave.

We did some catching up. She'd had a great career as a producer. Her son was all grown up and she was so proud of him. Maryse was planning a trip to Montreal and said she was "THRILLED to know I'll be seeing you if/when this happens. I can't wait to inspect your brood :)"

She wrote some really nice things to me. She said she was proud of me and always knew I'd prevail. I'm so glad I have these FB messages. For a moment yesterday, I was in a panic because I thought I'd lost them. But it was just a little FB fail.

Late on the night of the 26th, I heard from a mutual friend that she'd gone. And here I am drawing this tribute. I think she'd have liked it. I can still hear her laugh-wheeze-coff.

Good-bye my Queen Bee! I'll never forget you.

Maryse liked cats.

This is the second in a series called "YOU". I draw YOU. Read the rules.

October 21, 2010

This is the first of a new series on my blog called "YOU". It's a very simple concept : I draw YOU.

Here's the rules:

I decide which of YOU I draw. I always get inspired by something...usually it's something funny or interesting that YOU've said to me.

I draw YOU for free. I don't want money.

YOU must trust me. I won't do anything gross. And I'll warn YOU first so if YOU don't want me to draw YOU, then I'll restrain myself. Or I'll draw YOU in secret and giggle to myself.

I post the drawing of YOU here on my blog.

YOU can link to it, take the drawing and post it on your blog, FaceBook it, use it as your avatar blah, blah, blah. Just make sure YOU give me credit and a link back to The Animated Woman.

All good?

Let's get started!

First up is Matt Hoskins, AKA @BrerMatt on twitter. He's got a blog of his own, he's relentlessly funny, but also warm and real. He's planning on hanging this drawing on his son's bedroom wall; isn't that cute? He hasn't even seen it yet! Trust people, that's what I'm talking about. TRUST.

I was inspired to draw Matt when he commented on my HalloWINE blog post suggesting we make a "Cardboardasaurus" out of wine boxes. How could I resist?

October 14, 2010

It was up to me to make dinner tonight. I decided to make tortellinis with mushrooms and parsely. But I needed ingredients so I walked through to the kitchen and saw myhusband standing next to the stove wearing NOTHING but an APRON. And socks....with his Birks.

Shocking? Yes.
Horrific? Yes.
Mildly erotic? Um, yeah...so?

I'm like: "Dude!!! Daddyo what the frikk? Why are you wearing that nasty stripey apron my dad gave you a million years ago and not much else?

And your nipples are showing btw." I admit it was kinda hot.

He said: "I'm making chutney and the tamarind sprayed all over my t-shirt. So I had to take it off. You wanna go upstairs...?

I take in the fact that I can see that all his freckles are showing and there`s hungry mouths screaming for grub around us.

"Um no, thanks, butI'm going to the shop to get our dinner. You wanna come with?"

He says "Okay" and grabs his coat. And puts in on top of his apron-and-nothing-else.

I say, "Dude, if you come to the shops wearing that apron-and-nothing-else I'm going to have to tweet about it."

"Frenching" is my latest film, a playful mix of live-action and animation.

My friend Jen introduced me to the work of Joe Ollmann two years ago. He's an award-winning cartoonist with several books under his belt in a hilariously gritty style.

The framed artwork from his comic "Frenching" hung on Jen's wall, beckoning to me...

Gazing at the characters on the page, I was like "Ohmigaaaaaaaaaaah.....!!!" cuz I could already see them moving and hear them speaking. They were calling out to me...

I just knew I had to bring Joe's work to life.

Jen and I managed to convince Bravo!FACT to help fund the film. That was in June 2010.

"What's the story behind "Frenching" JC!?" I hear you ask, "and uh, why do you burn yourself out like this?"

Let me ask you this: Have you ever felt like an outsider? Like you couldn't understand what people were saying and that they couldn't understand you? A fish out of water...?
A stranger in a strange land...? Huh? ...HUH?!? HAVE YOU??

Well, I have.

And that's what our English-speaking hero feels as he fumbles his way through French-speaking Montreal. It's not a language thing; it's a human thing.

If you've beenfollowing my lifeover the past few months, you prolly know that I Frenching-ed my way through the summer holiday; I Frenching-ed my way through the back-to-school thing; I Frenching-ed my way through my taxes; and I even Frenching-ed my way through plusieurs blogposts de merde, callis! Voilà!

So what happens to the central character in the story? Does he make it in the end? Will he find a way to get along...?

Now that Frenching is done, will I get a break from my infernal creative drive?!?

I wonder you ever found a way to get along when you were a fish out of water. Do tell, s'il vous plait...!

ToothFAIRY: My mission in life is for everyone to really believe in me! Keeping imagination and fairy tales alive while creating sweet memories.

JC: I LOVE THAT! I mean, I know it's you that's been taking the teeth and leaving coins and stuff all this time, so why don't you tell me a bit about why you do that?

ToothFAIRY: The first lost tooth is a major milestone, it deserves to be celebrated don't you think? And once you give a reward for the first one, it's too hard to forget about all the rest!

JC: What happens if someone wakes up just as you're taking their teeth?

ToothFAIRY: A sprinkle of my special * Tooth fairy-dust* usually puts them back to sleep!

And I have to act quickly because my ~magic~ disappears if I am "seen".

JC: That explains why no one has ever seen you, I get it. Do you take grownup teeth as well as baby teeth?

ToothFAIRY: No, I don't want grownups to think it's ok to lose them nor exchange their permanent teeth for ca$h! Lotsa poor folks might be running around with toothless grins if that were the case.

JC: Good point. How many teeth have you collected?

ToothFAIRY: I'm sure it is near a googleplex which is as high a number as I can count unless someone decides to COIN a phrase for a yet a larger number!

JC: That's a lotta teeth! So if you had the choice between a healthy clean tooth or a yucky rotten tooth, which would you choose?

ToothFAIRY: Silly question, a healthy clean tooth with no cavities would definitely be my first choice. But I understand not everyone has perfect teeth, so I am FAIR -y.

JC:So would you take both?

ToothFAIRY: Yes I do accept and take both. No teeth are rejected. I even accept I.O.U. notes since sometimes loose teeth really do get LOST... never to be found. Swallowed milktooth is not uncommon! Or maybe the parents send them off to preserve for stem cells.JC: Hey! That happened to my eldest daughter - her first tooth fell out and we never found it. So we wrote a note for you, do you remember?OK, let's say you take both, which one would you leave more money for?

ToothFAIRY: The tooth without decay or fillings might earn a sweeter reward!

JC: Hear that kids? Healthy teeth are valuable!

Anddo you ever leave any other gifts in exchange for teeth?

ToothFAIRY: Yes, sometimes I leave a wee gift. But when children find $20 or more then they can be sure that did not come from me!

JC: This question is from my kids - "Why is it that sometimes you don't come around on the first time my tooth has been placed under my pillow?"

ToothFAIRY: It's not that I have forgotten, it's usually due to stormy weather which delays my night flights! Tornados and twisters make me fairy dizzy. I also depend on my GPS now for more specific directions and flight plans but occasionally there is a "glitch"! Believe me, _ _ IT happens!

I'm feeling fairy tired now after all these questions. May I please be excused?

JC: Wait! Don't go yet!! One more question! Where did you get your...

ToothFAIRY: Good-bye, gotta ~FLY~

JC:...wings? Hello...? Hmmmm. I think she just gave me the "brush off".